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Text Pinkamena grinned at the two as she stood in the marshland, watching amusedly as the enormous Tyrant Wyrm shoved a claw into the ground and growled as it expanded the mire already around them, trees and plant-life warping and rotting as the gray-pink pony called teasingly: "There's better things to take your anger out on, you know! I'm right here, Scrivy, come on down to my level and we'll cut each other up until all we can do is laugh!" "Pinkamena, shut up." Luna grumbled grouchily from the other side of the pony, and Pinkamena laughed again as she turned around and grinned at the dark-coated winged unicorn. Luna sat with a half-eaten cupcake in one hoof, looking moody as she glared at the half-demon. "I swear that thou desires to be bludgeoned." Instead of picnicking on the outskirts of Ponyville, Luna had grouchily decided after picking Pinkamena up that they should head into the Everfree Forest instead, and they had ended up here, at the site where they planned to build Enstasis. An odd choice for a place to eat and relax, perhaps, but they were also an odd gathering, and Pinkamena certainly hadn't been complaining about the change of scenery. "Only a little." Pinkamena replied easily, and then she glanced up as Scrivener strode towards them, rumbling... but as the Tyrant Wyrm approached, energy crackled over him and he shrank rapidly down, the half-demon licking her sharp teeth in entertainment as she said in an oddly-delighted voice: "You catch on fast!" Scrivener only gave her a foul look as he returned to his half-pony, half-Wyrm state, rolling his head on his shoulders and muttering: "To be honest, it's easier when I'm pissed off about something. Tyrant Wyrms. You probably understand that yourself." Pinkamena nodded with a wink, and then she reached down into the picnic basket she'd brought along to produce a dumpling, tossing it towards Scrivener, and he caught it easily out of the air in his jaws before biting down and chewing slowly. The dull-pink pony gave another laugh and almost-delighted look at this, and Luna shook her head, muttering: "Daydreamer... handsome monster... we are permitting ourselves to get too worked up over this. Glad as I am anger has lent to thee the extra kick to grow this mire outwards into the area Illyria will require... we should both hold back a little, as well." "Where would be the fun in that?" Scrivener grumbled, but he nodded all the same, swallowing the dumpling and then absently licking his muzzle slowly. Then he shook his head and grouchily glanced towards Pinkamena as she leaned towards him, looking excited beneath her straight waterfall of a mane. "What?" "We have guests." she replied kindly, and Scrivener glanced moodily over his shoulder as several Nightmares flickered into being, smiling and with their heads politely bowed as they approached, the half-demon looking amused. "These the toys you were telling me about?" "In a manner of speaking." Luna turned her eyes towards them, looking disdainful and thoughtful in the same moment. "I did not request thy presence." "We thought we could help anyway, big sister." one of the Nightmares said kindly as they strode up to either side of Scrivener, and then the smoky, red-eyed creatures both pressed against either side of the larger male, sandwiching him between their forms before it continued affectionately: "We are here to provide relief, are we not?" "Thou art here to provide a variety of services for me as loyal, trusted servants." Luna retorted, her eyes locking on the Nightmare that had spoken before she closed her eyes thoughtfully as Scrivener arched his back, his own eyes slipping closed... and Pinkamena laid herself back, staring with sharp interest, watching the way that the male did not shyly try to pull away... but instead, basked in the attention from the dark creatures as their bodies and hooves slid against his frame and scales. In anger, the differences between the old Scrivener and Luna and the new were so much more pronounced: Luna, cold and calculating instead of loudly ranting and raging, and Scrivener, still bottling up most of his fury but with that anger now seeping out of him like miasma and making him come across as more... rough, more prideful, almost arrogant. But the half-demon liked it, as she laid down on the muck, enjoyed the way the two gave in to their darker sides even as she shivered a little in both delight and apprehension. Then Luna's cold cyan eyes opened, and she smiled slightly as she looked towards one of the Nightmares, saying quietly: "Take a message to Zecora. Tell her I desire to meet with her... tell her I wish to aid her in healing her people. Ask her when I would be welcome at her camp... make sure thou art humble, make sure thou art compassionate. Return to me by morning with the message." The Nightmare nodded quickly, then it kissed the side of Scrivener's neck gently before murmuring: "Of course, Mistress Luna. Excuse me, brother, I must go." Scrivener only smiled wryly towards the Nightmare as it stepped backwards and flickered out of reality, and then Luna's eyes roved to the other Nightmare, saying quietly: "And thou. Thou shalt go to the library... have the lesser demons and other night spirits patrol Ponyville and the outskirts. I have... a bad feeling." The Nightmare nodded slowly, and then it nuzzled affectionately against the poet's neck for a moment before vanishing from sight, and Scrivener rumbled a bit as he sat back before Pinkamena grinned, looking up at him as she crossed her front hooves. "What's wrong, big guy? Luna not enough mare for you alone anymore?" "I am more than enough mare for anypony." Luna replied with a slight smile, her eyes betraying a flicker of entertainment despite her serious expression before she reached down and shoved Pinkamena lightly. "And I am not an idiot, Pinkamena. Thou has something in the warped nook of thy mind. Speak." Pinkamena was silent for a few moments, and then she looked slowly up between the two, saying quietly: "You two are aware of what's going on, right? Ponies aren't happy... oh, the gossip I hear in the shop every goddamn day. Sure, the first two days, everything was fine. But now, as they try to get back to their normal lives, as they lose their thankfulness, as they forget how lucky they are – and it always amazes me what a short amount of time that takes! – all those ponies are beginning to chitchat, and spread rumors, and question everything that's going on. "You see, among other things, it's the fact that not every pony is back from the beyond. The loss of the Cakes? For some reason, that's hit especially hard, even though it's probably sissy who hurt the most over finding them gone." Pinkamena paused meditatively, lowering her head and nodding thoughtfully. "And the letters beginning to go back and forth, from town-to-town, well... finding out that cousin one or two is gone, that the background characters from our lives are missing... well, you know ponies. Thankful for five minutes, bitter for fifty." "You have less faith in them than I do, Pinkamena, that is all... they are working through difficult emotions right now, that is all." Luna said finally, shaking her head with a grimace. "It will be fine, thou shall-" "No, I take precautions." Pinkamena snapped, sitting up sharply, and Scrivener and Luna both looked at her with surprise before the half-demon gave an almost-sultry smile, slipping past Luna and towards Scrivener, but speaking clearly to the winged unicorn even as she leaned up towards the male: "So here's the deal. We need each other, don't we? I'm a destroyer, and a killer, and a murderer, all those fancy words for something that's really good at keeping other ponies safe if she feels like it. I'll help you if you help me." "Pinkamena, we are thy friends. We are always here to help thee, without a price." Luna said quietly, looking almost exasperated, and Pinkamena grumbled under her breath, almost pressing snout-to-snout with Scrivener as the male leaned back slightly with a wince. "And get away from my husband. Thou art not a concubine." "But I'd gladly be one." Pinkamena grinned widely, her red-rimmed eyes flashing, and Luna looked at the half-demon with surprise before the earth pony looked over her shoulder, saying coldly: "But the deal is this. You protect sissy. You protect sissy, and you make me a full-blooded demon so I can always make sure she's safe, and I'll do whatever dirty deeds you want me to, do you understand me? I smell blood in the air, you see... and after what happened with Applejack, with the rumors going around, there's a sense of chaos rising in the air, a sensation of the center not holding, of everything starting to collapse. Last time I didn't act fast enough to save her hide... this time, I'm going to preempt this apocalypse and save the stupid, mindless, stupid idiot." "Trading your body for power." Scrivener remarked wryly, and Pinkamena glared up at him before she reached up and seized him by the throat, but the poet only grinned widely despite the surprising strength of her grip. "Of course, you do know that's not the sole role of a concubine." "I ain't an idiot like sissy." Pinkamena retorted, and then she shoved him backwards, knocking him staggering back a step before she glared over her shoulder at Luna. "I know you can do it, Luna. I know you got a lot of tricks under your saddle and hidden in that fancy mane of yours. Make her safe, and make me stronger, better. And I'm all yours to do whatever you please with. Friendship is based on need and necessity... this will make us best friends for life." Luna snorted in derision at this, however, shaking her head slowly and muttering: "Pinkamena, thou knows I will protect Pinkie Pie and all the others... aye, even Applejack... with my life as it is. That-" "Not good enough." Pinkamena said forcefully, rounding on her and stomping towards her, and Luna cocked her head curiously as the half-demon growled and leaned up towards her, looking frustrated. "You're like a lonely soldier watching an entire city, ready to die to fight the bandits looking to rob all the helpless old ponies, but the bandits aren't going to come to you first, oh no! They're gonna go around you, or hit from the other side, and you can't be there every moment of every day to look after every single helpless little pony. "So yeah. I believe you when you say you want to look after sissy. I just don't believe you can, with how divided-up your attention is even now, before things have really hit the fan." Pinkamena said quietly, shaking her head before she grinned as her red-rimmed eyes almost glowed. "So make me a goddamn demon. In return I'll lick your hooves and anything else you want me to, and I promise not to bite too often. I'll do my duties to you, but you give me the power and the freedom to protect sissy. That's all I ask." "Pinkamena, being a full demon will come with certain hungers... I am sure thou remembers what it was like for thee when thou wert a Pale. Thou will require... sustenance of a certain sort, as my husband does." Luna said quietly, looking with a frown down at the half-demon. "Thou will be sacrificing thy mortality for something both greater and less. Truly, is this what thou desires?" "Yes." Pinkamena whispered, nodding firmly once, and then she turned around and grinned widely at Scrivener. "Not that either of you will be getting anything from me until our deal is done." "And as part of our deal, like all other demons, thou shall pledge loyalty and allegiance to me." Luna said quietly, and Pinkamena grunted before the half-demon looked moody as the winged unicorn added softly: "I require time to think on this and prepare. I shall give thee my answer after I have debated the subject awhile." The half-demon grumbled under her breath, looking irritable as she nodded grouchily before heading over to the picnic basket, dropping down beside it to dig out a sandwich half-wrapped in paper. She tore the covering away, and Scrivener and Luna both grimaced as she bit into it with a loud squelch and chewed slowly, grumbling: "Stupid goddamn Nightmare Moon." Luna only sighed and shook her head as Scrivener looked meditatively at Pinkamena, and the three ate in silence: but as the minutes passed, so did the lingering awkwardness between them, and eventually Luna sighed as she straightened and cracked her neck, saying finally: "Come. Let us head to Fluttershy's cabin, then... 'tis late now. I am sure they are back from dinner at Applejack's." "Good for you. I'm going home then." Pinkamena muttered, straightening and absently cracking her back before she picked up the picnic basket. For a moment, she looked down at this, then simply grunted and threw it across the mire, sending it rolling into the bushes before she nodded to herself as both Scrivener and Luna only looked at her flatly. "Eat me. Let the Phooka have it." Luna rolled her eyes, and Scrivener shook his own head before the two ponies turned, Pinkamena only standing and watching them leave before she grinned and shouted easily at their backs: "Don't forget, I'll be waiting for you to come and steal what's left of my soul!" "As if the creature has a soul." Luna grumbled as they made their way into the veil of trees of the Everfree Forest, passing by a few boxes of supplies and tools that had been moved out here by Nibelung. The dwarves hadn't set up their quarters yet, but they had begun moving a variety of things out into the area, and within a few days Illyria would likely order a section of the forest to be cleared and lodgings constructed for the Nibelung laborers. Scrivener and Luna walked in quiet, their sides almost pressing together, their gazes ahead and focused and yet their minds trading thoughts and images easily back and forth. It felt even easier than it had been before, like their soul link had become tighter, like more and more they were falling into synchronization with each other, becoming as one entity... and Luna smiled a little as Scrivener asked softly: "Do you really think they're going to find something?' "Something, aye. But I don't think it will be as dire as Celestia thinks." Luna shrugged a little, shaking her head and smiling as well as she glanced towards him affectionately. "I feel happy, after all, and stronger, and better than I have in many, many years. Nay... let me amend that. I feel the best I ever have, as a matter of fact. I think I only come across so different to the others because... we have agreed not to resist our desires." Scrivener nodded slowly, and they continued in silence for a little while before Luna asked curiously: "Truly, does thou think it's that good of an idea?" "I trust her. I like her. We understand each other well, don't we?" Scrivener smiled slightly over at Luna, shrugging a bit. "And like you said... we're working on being more fluid with our desires, on letting them help guide us. Let's make her strong, give her what she wants, and make her ours." "I love it when thou speaks like the king thou could be." Luna murmured softly, looking ahead, and then Scrivener halted, and the winged unicorn frowned, pausing in her own steps as she looked curiously over her shoulder at him. Scrivener looked down thoughtfully at this, licking his lips slowly as he felt a thrill of power run through him... but then he quickly shook his head and looked up with a grin, saying teasingly as he continued ahead: "But Celestia's the Queen, so that means I'd have to make her my wife instead of you, right?" "Oh no, thou would just have to make her thine." Luna grinned playfully as she strode quickly up beside Scrivener, pressing their sides together and burying her face against the side of his neck, and he laughed and shook his head as they continued onwards, the winged unicorn murmuring softly: "Thou art not permitted another wife... I would be too jealous of sharing status. I am thy only true queen... thou art my only true king..." She licked her lips slowly, and Scrivener rumbled in his throat, grinning slightly towards her as they emerged from the cover of the trees and into the fields outside Ponyville before they turned towards one another; their mouths met in a slow, firm kiss as Scrivener rose one of his claws, stroking into the winged unicorn's ephemeral locks, dragging her closer, deepening the kiss for a few moments before they slowly drew apart, and Luna shivered in delight as the blue-tinged breath of the poet washed over her face, Scrivener whispering before he could stop himself: "Mine." "Aye, and the whole world is, too..." Luna whispered in return, her cyan eyes glowing with adoration as they met Scrivener's chestnut irises, and then she stepped close and nuzzled into his neck, pushing herself tightly against him as he half-curled around her and hugged her tightly up against his body, both smiling with true happiness in the darkness of the night as the winged unicorn felt her mind buzzing with strange thoughts and heard Nightmare Moon eagerly whispering encouragements into their mixed soul. But before the two could further pursue their affections, they both looked up as a faint scream tainted the night air, carried through the still night to the sharpened senses of the two, and Luna and Scrivener looked at one another before there was a scream again... and immediately, the winged unicorn turned and leapt forwards, flapping her wings once and shooting into the air as Scrivener bolted across the fields, propelling himself towards Ponyville. A commotion was rising now in the town as they ran forwards, and there were more yells, more rumbles, and another cry... and Luna's eyes widened as she saw the crowd gathering in front of the library as Nightmares and dark entities circled through the skies above and scared ponies and Nibelung yelled and clamored in the square, lit as bright as day by Celestia's glowing horn. Luna dropped down into the cleared space around the crowd as she saw what had happened... and immediately, Scarlet Sage bolted from Twilight Sparkle to her mother, and Luna caught her tightly, picking her up in her forelegs as she sat back on her haunches and stared at the sight before her, whispering: "What monster did this..." A Phooka lay dying, strangled by an iron chain that had been wrapped around its throat. And from the warped look of the links and the reek in the air, the chain had been superheated on top of that, as Fluttershy shivered, her hooves burned as she tried to peel the chain free from its neck, tears leaking down her face as she whimpered weakly. Ponies were staring and muttering amongst themselves, and both demons and other entities of the night were keeping their distance and floating above, away from the light before Celestia finally stepped forwards and silently touched Fluttershy's shoulder, the Pegasus looking weakly over her shoulder at the ivory winged unicorn. "Fluttershy... I am sorry, but there's nothing you can do. Nothing any of us can do... the creature is dying." Fluttershy trembled a bit, then looked silently down at the Phooka, gazing into its faintly-flickering emerald flame eyes as it rasped weakly for breath... and then she leaned down and hugged it tightly, kissing its cheek and burying her face against the side of its head as tears spilled down her face, whispering: "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry..." "What has happened here?" Luna asked sharply, looking back and forth before her eyes settled on Twilight Sparkle as the violet pony came towards her, and the dark-coated winged unicorn gritted her teeth before she glared towards the crowd, barking: "Who here is the coward that did this?" "Luna..." Twilight murmured, and the black-coated winged unicorn gritted her teeth before she looked down at Scarlet Sage as the filly whimpered in her limbs. Luna looked at her child, and Twilight sighed softly before she quickly turned her eyes towards the crowd, shouting: "Everypony, back away! There's..." She broke off, looking silently towards the dying Phooka as Celestia gently pulled Fluttershy back... and the Pegasus stared weakly as the creature convulsed once against the ground before it gave a rasping wheeze and burst apart into black smoke, the melted chains falling in a rattle to the ground. Then Fluttershy turned, giving a single sob before she stumbled towards the library door, and Celestia quickly stepped up beside her, helping the terrified, heartbroken Pegasus along as Twilight shook her head and then looked towards the crowd, shouting in a rougher voice: "Go home! We... we need time to figure this out." The ponies and dwarves shifted nervously... but as Scrivener Blooms shoved his way through the crowd to join them, many of them began to disperse with mutters and whispers. Luna looked towards the stain of darkness on the ground and the broken chains, and Scrivener snarled as Scarlet Sage clung to her mother, trembling hard as Twilight shook her head slowly and looked worriedly back and forth. Demons touched down around them, Nightmares and other shadowy entities settling to the ground before one of them stepped forwards; the concubine Luna had sent to watch the town. It bowed its head to her, and then asked nervously: "How did you know..." "I did not expect an attack against our kind... I expected that there would be trouble involving my friends." Luna replied quietly, and Twilight looked nervously at Luna at her choice of words even as Scrivener prowled slowly into the square, his eyes almost glowing as he looked back and forth darkly. "Does anyone know what happened here?" There was silence... and then Twilight stepped forwards, shaking her head and murmuring: "It doesn't make sense. Applejack and Rainbow Dash wanted to walk Fluttershy back to her cabin, but... she decided to come back here with me. The night had been awkward enough, you know? So we figured.. she could spend the night here, and we knew you'd stop in at some point, one way or the other. "Fluttershy's Phooka... her... her friends... when we passed her cottage, they were waiting for her. They walked with us." Twilight lowered her head, closing her eyes tightly. "I was scared at first of them. I shouldn't've been. I... they... they just settled down quietly outside here, and we went inside, and everything was normal and good and then we heard... a scream... "When we came out here, one of the Phooka was gone and the other was... was dying. The chain was still hot..." Twilight swallowed thickly, shaking her head weakly. "I don't know who could have done this..." Luna gritted her teeth, shaking her head in disgust before Scrivener picked up the chain and squeezed it slowly, the poet muttering: "It must have been done by magic. But how many unicorns in Ponyville could do that?" "Few. But that only means we have a narrow list of suspects." Luna replied coldly, holding Scarlet Sage close before she looked across at the Nightmare, ordering: "Thou and thy brethren are to keep all eyes on the unicorns of Ponyville, is this understood? We shall find this murderer. We shall bring them to our own brand of justice. We shall do it quickly." "Luna..." Twilight began, but then she fell quiet at a sharp look from the winged unicorn as the demons and dark creatures rumbled between themselves before vanishing one-by-one. For a moment, Luna only looked out into the darkness... and then she returned her eyes to Twilight as the violet mare said hesitantly: "I understand how important this is... but... isn't this-" "It must be done. It must be dealt with quickly. I cannot have my citizens of the night being treated as lesser entities and I cannot allow ponies to think they may get away with murder. We must be swift..." Luna said quietly but firmly, shaking her head, but her eyes were almost pleading. It made the purple mare shift awkwardly... and then she grimaced when Scrivener reached up and grasped her shoulder, looking silently down into her eyes. "Please, Twilight. Thou art special to me, thou understands things that other ponies do not... please try and understand this, as well... and think of this: all know those Phooka are familiar with Fluttershy. What if they had gone after thy friend instead of her friends?" Twilight shivered at this thought, opening her mouth to argue that nopony would ever hurt Flutttershy... but then instead, she slowly closed it as she thought of how before tonight she would have said nopony ever would have hurt even one of the dark but peaceful entities that could be seen around Ponyville. "I... okay. I understand." "Let us go inside. Fluttershy requires comfort. Our daughter requires safety." Luna looked down at Scarlet Sage, leaning down and kissing her forehead quietly as she whispered: "Fear not, child. We shall help find the solution to this problem, and then we shall be on our way for the night. Tomorrow, thou may stay peacefully at home." Scarlet Sage only nodded a little, looking up worriedly, and Twilight shook her head slowly as her horn glowed before the door to the library opened, the violet winged unicorn murmuring: "I just can't believe somepony would do this..." "You should never underestimate what anyone is capable of." Scrivener murmured quietly, and Twilight smiled faintly as the male strode past her and into the library. His eyes settled on where Fluttershy was trying not to cry, trembling as Celestia soothingly rubbed her back with a hoof, and the male strode over to reach up and touch a forelimb quietly, saying gently: "We're going to find out who did this, okay? We won't let them get away with it, or let your other friends get hurt." Fluttershy only nodded silently, and Scrivener stepped awkwardly back as Twilight hurried across the room to hug the Pegasus, who fiercely embraced her in return, trembling as she buried her head against Twilight's chest before Scarlet Sage rushed over and clung to her aunt as well. It was enough to make the Pegasus begin to sob quietly again, and as Luna strode into the library, she shook her head slowly before looking furiously over her shoulder and into the dark night that had fallen over Ponyville, silently promising a fearsome revenge on whoever had done this... and that if they continued to treat them like monsters, she would be glad to show them just how monstrous she and her husband could be. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story